ND's roster deep four years to come

November 10, 2006|TOM NOIE Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- Hours of evaluation in gymnasiums from California to Florida are spent sitting beside college basketball royalty who annually have their pick of the nation's elite. As the process moves toward the fall signing period, focus for the Notre Dame men's basketball team often drifts from the big fish everyone hopes to land to the ones quietly treading elsewhere in the recruiting pool. On Wednesday, Mike Brey signed his third consecutive four-man class void of a knockout name. For now, they are nobody's prep All-Americans, and may need time to develop. All may, one or two might not. But they fit, academically and athletically, on a campus where basketball remains absent from any syllabus. For that, Brey believes all four belong. "The kids in the locker room now, they came for the total package," he said Wednesday, the first day he could talk about the 2007-08 incoming class of Tim Abromaitis, Tyrone Nash, Ty Proffitt and Carleton Scott. "They understood when the ball's taken away, the place can really do wonders for you. "At the end of the day, the guys we get, get that. If they don't get that, we don't get them." What the Irish got were basketball players. "They got two guys they targeted early in Scott and Nash and they fill in their backcourt with Ty Proffitt," said Dave Telep, national college basketball recruiting analyst for scout.com. "College basketball today, I don't want to say is a transient game, but four guys in three straight years is completely normal." Brey and his staff were minimally involved with two of the nation's top talents. Indianapolis native Eric Gordon considered Notre Dame before committing to Illinois, then signing with Indiana. Chicago's Derrick Rose, expected to be a one-and-done college player, left some speechless with his scary show of talent during a campus visit the weekend of Sept. 16. But he's headed to Memphis. Elite prospects with an eye on the NBA still interest Notre Dame, but to a certain point. "If there's a one-year guy out there that would present itself and would be a fit, we'd explore every option now," said Brey, who has had only one player -- Troy Murphy -- leave early for the NBA during his seven seasons. "We're also realistic in that you waste too much time in a short-term guy, then not come up with some guys like this." None of the newest additions are ranked among the nation's top 100 talents by major recruiting services. Brey would like a chance to haul in two or three McDonald's All-Americans. Until then, he'll snag the system guys following two steps behind the stars at all-star camps and AAU Tournaments. Indiana doesn't sound so bad,'" Scott recalled Wednesday. "A few people thought I was on some sort of medication or something." Noll's offer still stood, and Scott accepted a second chance to play college basketball for one of only 10 independent programs in Division I. He sat out 2004-05 under transfer regulations, but would never play for Noll, who was fired that year. Scott credited the former coach for the chance to become a first team Division I all-independent selection last season after leading IPFW in scoring (14.2), 3-point shooting (44.3 percent) and free-throw shooting (85.5 percent). "I thank him every day," the junior said. "I made the right choice." That choice brings Scott and his IPFW teammates to town tonight to play Notre Dame in the season opener for both teams. Two years ago, the teams met for the first time ever as the Irish won by 28 points. Last December, in front of a revved up sellout crowd at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, the Irish escaped with a two-point victory. "They're going to come after us and we're definitely going to come after them," Scott said. "We're looking to cause a few problems for them." Last time out, nobody on the Notre Dame roster could contain IPFW power forward Tyler Best, who did what he wanted in the low post. The Irish also were bothered by the quickness of guard Quintin Carouthers and the matchup mismatch of forward Justin Hawkins. Then there was Scott, who scored a team-high 14 points as IPFW missed an opportunity in the closing seconds to tie it with a basket or win it with a 3. "We played well enough to beat Notre Dame," said IPFW coach Dane Fife. Most of the Mastodons on the floor that night against the Irish return a year older, and maybe more importantly, wiser for what they went through last season. Three seniors and two juniors comprise IPFW's starting five. Openers have often seen Notre Dame roll past inferior opponents. That might not be the case tonight. "They're coming up here thinking they can get it," said Irish coach Mike Brey. "It's a tough challenge right out of the gate." The Mastodons finished last season 10-18. They won their last three games, which helps carry some confidence into this year, and this game. For the first time in his brief IPFW coaching career, Fife senses that Scott and his teammates now believe they belong on the same floor as teams that can talk of winning conference championships and playing in the NCAA Tournament. For an independent, every game is March Madness, a concept the Mastodons now embrace instead of once ignoring. "We're playing because we enjoy the game," Fife said. "That's really what it's all about. We like to compete." And they will.